Saturday, November 15, 2008

Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes and Olives



There’s something to be said about lamb shanks.

Talk about your cheap but effective meal.

They are highly impressive at table.

They make the house smell like you are flat in the middle of Tuscany, or Morocco or France, depending on how you are preparing them.

This is one of Bittman’s best.

Your guests will think you’ve outdone yourself.

Which, of course, you have!


Lamb Shanks with Tomatoes and Olives
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

A couple of good swirls extra virgin olive oil
4 lamb shanks, about a pound each
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups sliced red onion
A large spoonful garlic confit
A couple of sprigs fresh thyme
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1-½ cups assorted olives, pitted
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Heat a couple of good swirls of extra virgin olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add lamb and brown on all sides, season as you cook. Remove lamb and add the onions. Cook over medium heat until soft and goldenish, about 10 minutes. Add garlic confit and thyme and cook one minute then add the chicken stock and the tomatoes and stir. Add the browned lamb shanks and turn them once or twice, season to taste, cover and turn heat to low.

Cook for 30 minutes, turn the shanks and add the olives. Cook for an hour until shanks are very tender. Meat falling off bone is good sign!

Garnish with the Italian parsley and serve.

Serves 4.

Can be adapted to slow cooker with great ease! Fabulous with smashed potatoes.

One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep, I would be in Tuscany...so, so lovely.

Darius T. Williams said...

I mean really - who could turn this down - looks great!

-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

Mary Coleman said...

Cathy: I'd be right there with you!

Darius: I don't know anyone who would.

Peter M said...

Tough cuts are the tastiest and once you got briasing down, the delish result ends up like this.

Anonymous said...

Dang, I'm a total sucker for lamb shanks and those look amaaazing. Honest.